Memory
by airfaery
Summary: A songfic that is set when Jonas is escaping. I'm not sure if the song has been used for this purpose before. Anyhow, review!


**This is my first songfic. The song is from the musical cats and its called Memory. Enjoy! Oh, and I don't own the words to the song or the ideas from the Giver. Ok?**

Jonas wandered back from his session with the Giver. His mind was full of new ideas that he could not sort out. He now could see colors and wondered why there were colors and wished everyone could see them. Now that he could feel again, he wished everyone could.

_Daylight See the dew on the sunflower_

_Roses wither away_

_Like the sunflower_

_I yearn to turn my face to the dawn_

_I am waiting for the day._

What was it like before? Will it ever be that way again? The only thing he knew was that he had to do something about it.

_Midnight_

_Not a sound from the pavement_

_Has the moon lost her memory?_

_She is smiling alone_

_In the lamplight the withered leaves collect at my feet_

_And the wind begins to moan._

Clutching Gabe to his chest, Jonas began to run. What would they all think? Would he ever see his family again? Would they indeed, learn to love him? The Giver was gone, with his granddaughter, wherever people went after they left. Thinking, that that is what would have happened to Gabe, this tiny, helpless baby. Jonas vaguely wondered if he had done the right thing, maybe he should have left the child to be put out of its misery. Who knew what was coming next?

_Memory_

_All alone in the moonlight_

_I can smile at the old days_

_I was beautiful then_

_I remember the time I knew what_

_Happiness was_

_Let the memory, live again_

Truly, ignorance is bliss, Jonas had heard the old man who Jonas had become oddly attached to, mutter those words. And know he understood. Before, all Jonas had to worry about was… well if he did it would be trivial to all the worries in those memories. Like war and grief, obsession, greed. He felt he had grown older, wiser perhaps. Now that he was running away from that perfect place, everyone had a chance now, to grow.

_Every streetlamp Seems to beat a fatalistic warning _

_Someone mutters _

_And a streetlamp gutters _

_And soon it will be morning._

The cold enveloped the boy and the child. Gabe was barely breathing now and his skin was a faint tinge of blue. Jonas knew enough to understand that this was not good. He coughs, and hugs the babe closer and gives the child one of his last few memories.

_Daylight I must wait for the sunrise _

_I must think of a new life_

_ And I musn't give in _

_When the dawn comes _

_Tonight will be a memory too_

_And a new day, will begin._

The child in his arms grew warmer and some color came to his cheeks. Jonas smiled; he must find somewhere to go. And he knew he could do it too. All I have to do is persevere, Jonas thought, and I can save everyone.

_Burnt out ends of smoky days_

_ The stale cold smell of morning _

_The streetlamp dies, another night is _

_Over_

_Another day is dawning._

It was that bad, wasn't it? Jonas recalled everything that had happened since the day he was born. Those were his memories, not someone else's and he would make more if he could survive. And although sometimes he wished he had never been called as the Receiver Jonas knew some good came out of it. Gabe was still here, wasn't he? And if they could find a town, he might survive and make memories all on his own.

_Touch me_

_It's so easy to leave me_

_All alone with the memory_

_Of my days in the sun_

_If you touch me_

_You'll understand what happiness is _

If I lose Gabe, I will know the feeling the Giver must have felt for the little girl. The cold emptiness that Jonas felt every time he realized that the old man was gone, was only a sample of the pain, as with all the experiences the Giver had gave him. This warm child he carried gave him a purpose to live, and Jonas hugged him closer.

With a last surge of heroic strength, Jonas climbed the hill and saw the sight that greeted sore eyes. Lights, people, he was home and so was Gabe.

_Look_

_A new day has begun._


End file.
